Carrier for braiding machines



Nov. 25, 1952 J. E. CHACE 2,619,001

' CARRIER FOR BRAIDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 12, 1951 fiVI/E/VTUR JZH VE. (WAC Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES 'TENT OFFICE 4' Claims. 1

This invention relates to braiding machines and to improvements in the carriersused in such machines;

In a braiding machine; several'carriers move alongacircular track in an intricate back and forth weaving pattern. Each of the carriers carries aspool of the thread to be braided, and the thread is spun-from thecarriers-in accordancewith the pattern traveled, to form the braided output of the-machine.

The conventional carrier has a base adapted totravel in'the track of the braiding machine, with a spindle and two guide post's rising from the base. The'spindle carries a spool holding the yarn or -thread' to' be braided while the guide posts support yarn guiding eyelets, a tensioning weight, and a'spring' for controlling the tension of the weight on the yarn. The tensioning springtis' coiled about one of the guide posts, and must be removed from time to time to free it from lint; etc:, or tochange'its strength with variations in the type or size of yarn employed.

Theweaving motion of the carrier in the braiding operation is a process of sudden turns at high speed which exerts a twisting force on the guide posts, thereby causing Wear on the connecting linkage at the tops of the posts which interferes with the operation and shortens the useful life of the assembly, and sometimes results in a binding of the tensioning weight.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction which will overcome these difiiculties found in prior art assemblies. This has been accomplished by a connecting link-age at the top of the guide posts which is rigidly secured to one of the posts and has a recess for holding a cap on the other post, the cap being depressible to enable the post to be sprung free of the connecting linkage.

The invention is explained in more detail by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a braider carrier embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the tops of the 1.:

guide posts of the apparatus of Figure 1, showing one step of operation in the practice of the invention;

Figure 3 is a view of the apparatus of Figure 2, showing another step in the operation of the invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 3; and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of one of the guide posts and removable cap of the other figures.

The braider carrier "of Fig; 1 comprises a base II with a spindle I2 andguide-posts I3 and I4 rising therefrom. The base II has" a grooved portion" I5 adaptedto ride upon' the track of a braiding machine (not shown) The spindle I2 carries a spool I6 which'funnishes the yarn to be braided. The yarn isfed, in conventional manner, by way of an eyelet I! on the guide post I4 to a hook" ona weighted tension element I9, and thence through eyelet 20 at the top of guide'post I4.

Again'in conventional manner, theunwin'ding of the yarn from the spindleis controlled by the following elements: ratchetZI on the bottom of the spool 6, a pawl 22 meshing with the teeth of ratchet 2|, and a bracket 23 slidable on the post I4 and pivotally linked'to the pawl 22. The pawl 22 is pivoted on a pin 24 in the base ofthe carrier. Its frontportion seats against the teeth of the ratchet and prevents rotation of the spool upon the spindle. Therear portion of the pawl 22 has a yoke 25, forming a seat for an extension 25 of the bracket 23.

The tensioning element I 9 is 'slidably mounted on the post I3 with a yoke-like extension embracing the post I4. As thread is taken up in the braiding operation, it pulls against the hook I8 of the tensioning element I9 and draws the ele-- ment up against the top portion 21 of the bracket 23 which is slidably mounted upon the post I4. This forces the bracket 23 upward along the post I4 and against the spring 28, thereby causing the extension 26 to exert an upward thrust against the upper flange of the yoke 25 which pivots the pawl 22 and releases the ratchet 2 I.

With the ratchet released, the spool I6 is free to turn, and does so under the influence of the tension on the yarn. As soon as there is sufficient play in the yarn to enable the tensioning element I9 to slide down the guide post, the spring 28 urges the bracket 23 to its normal position at the bottom of post I4 where extension 26 acts upon yoke 25 to pivot the pawl 22 to its former position against the teeth of the ratchet 2! thereby preventing further yarn feeding by the spool I 6.

The coil spring 29 is slipped over the top of the post I3 and is held in place by a removable cap 30. It exerts a downward thrust on the tensioning element l9. The strength of this spring must be overcome by tension on the yarn to raise the tensioning element I9 to a position where it can act upon the bracket 23 to trip the pawl 22 and permit yarn to reel from the spool I6. Thus, the spring must be changed to accommodate difierences in weight, size, etc. of

different yarns. This is accomplished, in accordance with the invention, by forcing the cap 30 down upon the post 13, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the cap is disengaged from its normal seat in the recess 3| of the connecting link 32. After the cap 30 has been thus unseated, the post I3 is sprung free of the link 32, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Then, the cap 30 is removed from the post 13, as shown in Fig. 5, and the spring 29 is slipped ofi the post and replaced by another.

A coil spring 33 within the cap 313 permits the cap to be pushed down upon the post 13 when the post is to be sprung free, and exerts a force against the top of the post to lock post and cap together when the assembly is in operative position with cap 30 in register with recess 3| in connecting link 32. The link 32 is welded, or otherwise rigidly secured, to the post 14.

In this manner, the entire carrier assembly is held rigid during operation of the machine, and yet facile means is provided for permitting sufficient disassembly to replace or change the spring 29 without causing undue wear on either the guide posts or the connecting link between them.

I claim:

, 1. A braider carrier having a base, first and 'second upright members extending upwardly from said base, said first upright having mounted thereon acoil spring and a depressable cap, said second upright .being longer than said first and havingrigidly attached to its end remote from said base a member protruding over the end of said first upright, said member having in said protruding portion a recess adapted to receive saidcap.

2. A braider carrier having a base, first and second upright members extending upwardly from said base, said first upright having mounted thereon a coil spring and a removable cap, said second upright being longer than said first and having rigidly attached to its end remote from said base a member protruding over the end of said first upright, said member having in said protruding portion a recess adapted to receive said cap.

3. A braider carrier having a base, first and second upright members extending upwardly from said base, said first upright having mounted thereon a coil spring and a removable cap, said second upright being longer than said first and having rigidly attached to its end remote from said base a member protruding over the end of said first upright, said member having in said protruding portion a recess adapted to receive said cap, and a spring element between said cap and said first upright whereby said cap is urged into said recess.

4. A braider carrier having a, base, a spindle for carrying a spool mounted on said base, first and second guide posts also mounted on said base, said first guide post being longer than said second guide post, a tensioning element slidably mounted upon said guide posts, a coil spring mounted co-axially upon one of said guide posts and adapted to press against said tensioning element, a connecting member rigidly attached to said first post and extending into the path of axial extension of said second post, a depressable cap on the end of said second post, and said connecting member having a recess therein adapted to receive said cap.

' JOHN-E. CHACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,052,215 Chace Feb. 4, 1913 1,479,831 Rahm Jan. 8, 1924 1,970,390 Mossberg Aug. 14, 1934 2,452,250 Lochner Oct. 26, 1948 

